Kentucky's Governor Introducing and Reviving Legislative Priorites

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear's agenda for the next legislative session is a mix of old and new priorities. Beshear plans to work with leaders in both chambers on pension and tax reforms, but he’s unsure how much progress can be made during the 30-day session.

The governor also plans to renew his pushes for expanded gambling and several education initiatives.

“I want to pass the graduation bill if we can, very important to me, so there’s a number of issues like that that we’ll need to be addressing this year," says Beshear.

Though Beshear has tried since 2007, lawmakers have never passed either a gambling bill or a measure to raise the dropout age to 18.

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Advocates for raising the dropout age in Kentucky have a new hope heading into the next legislative session. Currently, Kentucky law allows 16-year-olds to dropout of school with parental permission. And education advocates have pushed to raise the minimum dropout age to 18.

Dropout bills have consistently failed in Frankfort, but advocates are emboldened this year now that former Senate President David Williams is no longer in the General Assembly.

But new Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer says that doesn't mean the bill is a sure thing.

“Because there are legitimate policy concerns we have had with raising the dropout age to 18," the Georgetown Republican says.

Plagued by strained relations with the former Republican leader of the state senate, Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear said he expects a better rapport now that a new GOP leader is in place. Beshear told reporters Friday he's "excited" about the prospects for collaboration.